Discovering God’s strength in the midst of life’s hardest moments
The theme of our upcoming Poetry Jam is Unspeakable Joy! We are now just a few weeks away from our Poetry Jam and in light of that, every devotional leading up to the event will be on the subject of joy and each writer will offer their unique perspective on this fruit of the spirit. We continue today with Kendra.
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10
Joy is often misunderstood. We tend to confuse it with happiness, but the two are not the same. Happiness is tied to circumstances when life feels smooth, relationships are thriving, and there’s little to worry about. Joy, however, comes from a deeper well. It is rooted in Christ. Joy flows not because everything around us is perfect but because God’s presence within us is unshakable.
I experienced this truth most profoundly when I lost my father. He was the best father in the world, and naturally, his passing should have left me inconsolable.
Yet, at his funeral, I found myself singing, smiling, even playing the tambourine. My heart was heavy, but my spirit was lifted by a strength not my own. That day, the joy of the Lord carried me. It was not denial or pretending to be fine. It was God’s joy rising in the middle of my grief, enabling me to praise Him in the darkest moment.
As I prepared for that day, Psalm 34:1 echoed in my spirit: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” At first glance, this feels almost contradictory. How do you bless the Lord when your heart aches? Why worship when tears are streaming down your face? Yet it is in pressing through pain with praise that we discover a joy that cannot be shaken. Joy is found in intimacy with God, when we dare to worship Him not only because of what He does but because of who He is.
Here is the challenge many of us face: joy is often crowded out by what we allow to fill our hearts. Unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, anxiety, malice, shame—these weigh us down and block the flow of joy.
It is like trying to pour fresh, clean water into a jar already filled with rocks. The water cannot fill the jar because the rocks take up all the space. Imagine holding that jar, desperately wanting it to overflow with water, but the heaviness of the stones leaves no room. That is how joy works. If we want the jar to be full of living water, we have to empty it of what does not belong. In the same way, God desires to fill us with His joy, but He cannot pour into us if we are already filled with the clutter of sin, resentment, and fear.
If you have been struggling to feel joy, I encourage you to pause. Bring your worries, your disappointments, your anger, and even your fears before the Lord. Lay them down and give Him room to refresh you. He is eager to pour His joy into you, but He will not force His way in. He waits for us to surrender.
Understand this: joy is not pretending everything is fine, nor is it masking pain with a smile. Joy is a gift from God that steadies us when everything around us suggests we should collapse.
It is the quiet but powerful assurance that God is still good even when life feels unfair. It is the whisper that His promises remain true, even in the storm.
So let me encourage you as a sister in Christ: do not chase happiness, chase Jesus. Happiness comes and goes, but joy abides. Allow His joy to strengthen you, renew you, and carry you. And as you live in His joy, you will find that not only do you endure life’s trials, but you also shine through them. And when others see that radiance, they will know that it is not of this world. It is the joy of the Lord within you.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for being the source of my joy. Teach me to lean on Your joy when life feels heavy. Remove anything in me—unforgiveness, fear, bitterness—that blocks me from receiving Your fullness. Fill me with Your peace and Your strength. Let my life testify that Your joy is unshakable and everlasting. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 34:1
